BHALENDRA SINGH, RAJA (1919-1992). distinguished cricketer and India`s long estlasting sports executive, was born on 19 August 1919, the son of Lieutenant General Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, the glamorous princely ruler of the state of Patiala in Southern Punjab. Brought up in the lap of luxury, Bhalendra Singh shot up into a tall, handsome and lissom young man, with remarkable prowess in several branches of athletics. When his elder brother Yadavinder Singh, the heir apparent of Patiala state, was getting ready to don colours for India against Lord Tennyson`s team (1937-38), Bhalendra Singh was playing cricket for Southern Punjab, a formidable outfit, which claimed among its members famous cricketers of the day, such as Nissar, Amir Alahi and L. Amar Nath who later rose to be India`s Test captain.
